Text by: Olivia McAuley
Revered for their use of reverb-laden guitar work, creative synth structures, and dynamic vocals akin to the early shades of shadowy 80’s pop, Creux Lies are an alternative / post-punk / new romantic-esq band from Sacramento, California. Created from the ashes of their former project NMBRSTTN; singer Ean Clevenger, guitarist Barry Crider, synths David Wright, drummer Topher Snyder, and Kyle Vorst on bass, have now focused their creative vision toward a new path of electro-drenched melancholia.
Crux Lies released their debut full length album, The Hearth, last week (August, 17th via Cleopatra Records), which premiered on Cvlt Nation. The album masterfully blends the sounds of classic post punk with a newer, more modern touch. The result is beautiful, with emotive, misty vocals moving seamlessly around their catchy melodies; their nostalgic sound taking one straight back to the 80’s where YOU can become the protagonist of you own coming of age drama, à la John Hughes.
Creux Lies gave us a first taste of what would evolve into the sounds of The Hearth with their single “Portals”, which was released mid July of this year (to great response from fans and journalists). The album and its lyrics were influenced by tarot and mysticism, particularly the concept of duality and/or confronting multiple problems at once. This point of view lead the band to find the artist Alex Kanevsky, who later approved the use of his work for the album cover, after hearing and being a fan of the music.
The record was the product of shear experimentation and creative collaboration. Some tracks being reimagined versions of older songs, while others were the result of simple riffs and melodies coming to life in the studio while playing around with various instruments. Creux Lies also believes it would be remiss not to credit Californian red wine in the writing process of this album (a notorious and appreciated benefactor of the arts).
Having already shared stages with a roster of notable acts such as Clan of Xymox, Drab Majesty, Soft Kill, Glaare, Actors, Vowws and others, Creux Lies have been inspired to develop their own headlining performance antics, including powerful performances with dramatic visuals and lighting effects. The band’s upcoming live dates can be found on their social media platforms.
Check out Creux Lies’ The Hearth today, available on all streaming platforms as well as on CD via their Bandcamp page.